Season opener in Newmarket

Newmarket, Wednesday 19 April: The new season begins in Newmarket with the three-day Craven Meeting. The Nell Gwyn Stakes (4th race/16.35pm/£80,000/1408m) takes centre stage today on the seven-race card. A duel between Godolphin and Juddmonte is on the cards.

Fairy Cross (William Buick) ran at Meydan this year and finished a good second with no chance of winning. Last year the Charlie Appleby-trained mare won the Prestige Fillies Stakes at Group level. Coppice (Frankie Dettori) is trained by John and Thady Gosden and turned her only appearance to date on the sand track at Kempton into a win, where Inner Space (Robert Havlin) also came up trumps. Girl Racer (Tom Marquand) won in captivating style at Wolverhampton and hinted that she is destined for bigger tasks. Karsavina (Rossa Ryan) and Mamams Girl (Sean Levey) made their maiden here last year. Small Oasis (Oisin Murphy) battled to victory in the Oh So Sharp Stakes (Group 3). Barefoot Angel (Oisin Orr) and Frankness (Marco Ghiani) are recommended by two successes each.